Missile Crisis- How to Survive

By Rachel Carp 

Israeli life amidst the conflict with Gaza involved constant missile showers and blazing
alarms, which affected all inhabitants of Israel, including soldiers, children, and even travelers.

Fortunately, a combination of the Iron Dome and ubiquitous bomb shelters protected the citizens of Israel from the perils of war.

Soldiers in the IDF watch the Iron Dome from a distance 

The Iron Dome, invented by the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and funded in part by the United States, is an innovative missile system used to intercept and disable incoming rockets and artillery shells that threaten the population of Israel. The system has played an important role in the survival of Israel, which is constantly under fire from conflicts with its neighboring countries.

While the new system can only intercept rockets from a maximum of 70 km, or 45 miles, away, Israel hopes to extend this distance to 250 km, as well as improve the system so that it can disable more than one missile at a time.  In the 2012 missile strikes against Israel on the Gaza strip, the Iron Dome destroyed 90% of the rockets, which were aimed at populated areas in Israel. 

Odeya Zach, a teacher at Levine Academy, traveled to Israel on November 15^th to meet her newborn niece. A day before her flight, a family member called insisting that she stay home to avoid the rising tensions and missiles coming from Gaza. Despite warnings, Odeya, a veteran of the Israeli Defense Force and an Israeli, was determined to visit Israel with her son. Odeya could sense apprehension even before she arrived in Israel, as conversations about the conflict were common in the airport and on the airplane. During the 30-minute drive from the Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv to Gadera, “the siren sounded on the highway and we had to stop the car and get out,” Odeya said. “From then on until we left Israel, sirens sounded around two times a day.”

The majority of Odeya’s stay in Israel was spent in bomb shelters. “I could've left to go to the grocery, but I never knew when a siren would sound,” she recalled. Upon hearing a siren, citizens must run to bomb shelters, sometimes with only 30 seconds to spare. Once inside the shelter, Odeya only had to stay for 10 minutes at a time while Israeli rockets were intercepted.

Bomb shelters are found in houses, buildings, and underground. There are two different types of bomb shelters. In newer houses built within the last 25 -30 years, the bomb shelters are bedrooms made of cement. The shelters in older houses and apartment buildings are underground. The protection rooms range in size, and are built to accommodate however many people live in the building. Inside, some shelters are simple with only chairs and basic supplies. Other shelters have TVs, games, and books to entertain children and teens.

In Tel Aviv, persistent sirens sent Odeya’s sister and newborn niece up and down flights of stairs numerous times to reach the communal apartment bomb shelter. When Odeya drove to pick up her sister and niece, a siren sounded and they were forced to exit the car to find shelter. Without a bomb shelter in close range, they could only wait in the street until they heard the bomb detonate. “We had to get into safety position to protect our heads. My sister shielded her new baby underneath her,” Odeya said.

The Arab missile strikes placed innocent citizens in danger, but Israel did everything it could to protect its inhabitants. In the cities of Beersheba, Ashdod, and Ashkelon, sirens rang fifteen times a day. South of Tel Aviv, schools were shut down. Israeli daily life was placed on hold as safety took priority.

Israeli children in a bomb shelter in Kerem Shalom. Photo courtesy of The Israel Project.

Cooking with Tina

I have always had a passion for food and cooking. Every year I help my mom prepare dishes and bake tasty desserts for the Jewish holidays. Upon learning that the face of food for the Jewish Reform movement, Tina Wasserman, lived in Dallas, Texas, I was eager to meet her. When my mom and I arrived at her house, I was slightly nervous, however, when the door opened, I was lured in by the smell of cinnamon, Tina’s beautiful, organized kitchen, and her friendly smile. Minutes after entering her house, Tina offered my mother and I a sample of her irresistible rugelach and dark chocolate salted caramels.  The flakey, buttery rugelach melted in my mouth. My mother, who swears by her grandmother’s famous rugelach recipe, even admitted that Tina’s rugelach was the best she had ever tasted.

Because I was taking a short cooking lesson, Tina and I planned to make beet humus, a dish she first tasted in an upscale restaurant in Tel Aviv. Tina explained to me the connection between beets and Judaism. Beets, cheap and plentiful in Eastern Europe and Ukraine, were an important component to the diets of the poor Jewish and Polish communities. Who knew?

The recipe for Beet Hummus was simple and easy to follow. While Tina directed me in preparing the dip, she offered me helpful tidbits such as how to chop garlic and how to correctly measure a tablespoon of a liquid. In about 20 minutes, Tina and I had whipped up a beautiful, light pink hummus dip. My mouth watered as Tina pulled out some crackers. I dove into the pretty dip, which was salty and rich from the chickpeas, but had a light, airy texture from the sweet beets. Although I enjoy chickpea hummus, this was definitely the most delicious hummus I have ever eaten.

Although I had expected only a brief cooking lesson and an interview, my experience cooking with Tina was so much more. I can’t wait to explore her cookbook and have confidence that her recipes will be delicious and manageable even for novice home cooks like me!

The Core of Tu B'Shevat

By Josh Rudner

Toward the end of winter comes the Jewish holiday of Tu B'Shevat (15th of Shevat), more commonly known as the Jewish Arbor Day. Judaism being a religion that celebrates agriculture and fruits, Tu B'Shevat is the appreciation of trees and is celebrated by eating fruits.

Dina Eliezer

Dina Eliezer, the Education Director at Congregation Shearith Israel, is a lover of Kabbalism and is very knowledgeable about Tu B'Shevat. According to Dina, it is written in the Torah that whenever a traveler finds their way to Israel, before doing anything else, they must plant a tree. This ancient connection to trees has given Jews worldwide the incentive to donate to the Jewish National Fund (JNF).

Found in almost every synagogue, Jewish school, and Jewish home, JNF Tzedakah (charity) boxes have been collecting money for over a century. The money is used to plant trees all across the State of Israel. The planting of these trees has been an enormous part in making Israel the only nation to enter the 21st century with a net gain in its number of trees.

Kabbalism, the mystical sect of Judaism, is centered in the northern Israeli city of Safed. This ancient city is the birthplace of the Tu B'Shevat Seder, a meal similar in structure and name to the Pesach or Passover Seder. Dina, however, made clear that the Pesach Seder consists of eating matzah and bitter herbs and celebrates our exodus from slavery; whereas, sweet and dried fruits are eaten at the Tu B'Shevat Seder, which appreciates trees, not an event of historical significance.

Of course, like all other Jewish Holidays, Israeli Jews have integrated Tu B'Shevat into Israeli Society. While the holiday itself retains its spiritual and religious values, Israelis have added to it an energy that the country as a whole feels for the duration of the holiday. The special events Israelis experience during Tu B'Shevat include concerts, picnics, and for the religious and mystic population, Seders.

In contrast to American and European Winters, winter in Israel is a rainy time of cool temperatures and the rebirth of vegetation and agriculture. Just as the rainy days begin to subside, Tu B'Shevat comes, beckoning people to the forests for a day of picnicking. Attending a concert on Tu B'Shevat, you might hear many songs related to the Almond Tree. This specific tree is the first to bloom in Israel and thus the symbol of rebirth.

Almond blossoms

The Tu B'Shevat Seder was created by the Kabbalists in Safed in the 16th Century. Dina said that the concept of "Original Sin" is seen in many religions, as well as in Kabbalism. The "Original Sin" is the violation of God's warning in the story of Adam and Eve: by eating the fruit of the forbidden tree, the world would suffer from war, famine, destruction, etc. By eating "non-forbidden" fruits at the Tu B'Shevat Seder, Kabbaists believe they are doing Tikkun Olam, Hebrew for repairing the world. Throughout the Seder, various fruits are eaten and their specific symbolism is explained.

According to myjewishlearning.com, the Tu B'Shevat Seder goes as follows: First, participants wash their hands and drink a cup of wine. Then, they eat fruits such as walnuts or coconuts.. With their hard, outer shells, these fruits symbolize the protection the earth has provided us. Next, wine is drunk and soft fruits with pits are eaten to symbolize the life-sustaining power that earth gives to us. Following a third cup of wine comes the eating of fruits that are completely edible. This is to illustrate God’s presence in the universe. After a vegetarian dinner and fourth cup of wine, the final fruit comes. Symbolizing the study of Torah and mystery of our universe, fruits like mangoes, bananas, avocados, or sabras are eaten-- fruits that have tough outsides but sweet insides.

The media can corrupt the minds of impressionable teens, blurring their vision of what truly matters and leading them to judge people by appearance and other superficialities. In contrast, Jewish mysticism values the core. The core, according to the Kabbalists, can be found in people as well as fruits. It is the core, or rather pit, that is celebrated at the legendary Tu B'Shvat Seders that began so long ago with the Jewish Mystics of Safed.

This year, Tu B'Shevat will begin on the evening of Friday, January 25th and end on the evening of Saturday, January 26th.

Fun Facts about the Jewish National Fund

1.    The JNF owned 13% of the total land in Israel by 2007

2.    Since it's foundation by the World Zionist Congress in 1901, the JNF has planted over 240 million trees in Israel

3.    Across Israel,180 dams and reservoirs have been created by the JNF

4.    Also created by the JNF are 250,000 developed acres of land and 1,000 parks

To make a donation to the Jewish National Fund click here: http://support.jnf.org/site/PageServer?pagename=donationprojects.

Chef in the City

By Rachel Carp

Dallas, Texas, is home to our own local celebrity-chef, Tina Wasserman, a passionate and highly trained Jewish cooking instructor and author.

Rachel and Tina Wasserman

At nine years old, Tina’s love for cooking was born when she moved next door to a famous German baker in New York. In junior high, Tina took a home economics class from a young, inspiring Jewish teacher, and by the age of 12, she knew she wanted to teach cooking.

Tina was trained in nutrition and education, earning a BS from Syracuse University and an MA from New York University. Early in her career, she worked as Chef Fields at Marshall Field’s Department Store in Dallas, cooking alongside many important regional and national chefs.  In 1994 Tina was honored by the International Culinary Society and invited to join the Les Dames d’Escoffier for her expertise in Jewish Historical cuisine.

Tina is now the face of food for the Reform Judaism movement. She began culinary writing as the food columnist for the Reform Judaism magazine and created the food column to impart her readers about the deep connection between food and Judaism.

Because the upcoming generation would only learn about Jewish history in religious school, Tina wanted to use food to teach the rich, fascinating history of the Jews. Tina believes that “the sense of smell is the most direct link to memory” and used her food column to enlighten the community about the Jewish identity.

After forty-three years of teaching and ten years as a food columnist, Tina was ready to write her own cookbook, Entree to Judaism: A Culinary Exploration of the Jewish Diaspora. Beyond recipes, Tina’s cookbook is chock full of ancient Jewish history. The book explores Jewish cuisines of countries all over the world that were home to ancient Diaspora communities.

Although Tina’s cookbook teaches about Judaism, the recipes are international and not exclusive to the Jewish cook. The recipes in Entrée to Judiasm--some adapted and some new--have all been extensively tested, and include Tina’s Tidbits, which are helpful cooking hints for the home cook.

Tina Wasserman is “not a writer who enjoys food, but an educator who wants to teach about food.”

Entree to Judaism: A Culinary Exploration of the Jewish Diaspora is sold at local bookstores and can also be bought on amazon by clicking here. 

Visit Tina’s website where she shares many recipes. You can also schedule a private cooking class with Tina by contacting her at tina@cookingandmore.com.

Modern Israel

By Josh Rudner

New York. Los Angeles. London. Paris. We American teens think these cities epitomize modern culture. We have no idea that Tel Aviv, the modern financial capital of Israel, is a lively urban center strongly influenced by Western society.

Why is it hard to imagine? Because everything we see about Israel and Tel Aviv in the news is related to either politics or war. Tel Aviv’s art shows and night clubs aren't BREAKING NEWS like the conflicts in Gaza, but they are important nonetheless.

Israeli Tal Arkin and Israeli-Americans Noga Evan and Ofir Edri had much to say on the subject.  As a thriving commercial and financial center, “Tel Aviv is the New York of Israel,” said teenager Noga Evan, a Dallas resident, who moved to America as a child but visits Israel annually.

Ofir Edri and Noga Evan

Tal Arkin

Without visiting or getting a good, first-hand account, many teens may think that Tel Aviv (or Tel Aviv-Jaffa) is nothing but an ancient port city. However, with an accurate understanding of the way of life in Tel Aviv, it is clear that this metropolitan area is filled with an amazing energy.

For Guy Sharett, a Hebrew teacher in Israel, the Tel Aviv neighborhood of Florentin, is a laboratory. He teaches his students new words and phrases by examining and analyzing the graffiti/street art of Tel Aviv, he told the Tel Aviv Journal last June. According to Noga Evan, graffiti/street art is a common sight in Tel Aviv. It is a unique way that Israelis can showcase their self-expression.

In many cities, graffiti is a tool used to vandalize buildings with sour messages or obscene depictions; whereas in Tel Aviv, graffiti is used as a form of art used to express thoughts, feelings, and political views.

      

In a poll taken by GayCities.com and American Airlines, 43% of voters named Tel Aviv, which has an annual Pride Parade, the world's best gay travel destination; suggesting that this city has achieved a high level of tolerance, a feat to be sure in the ultra conservative Middle East and in a city that was founded just 102 years ago.

A German-American sociologist and historian, Dr. Gerhard Falk is knowledgeable about Tel Aviv and its history. On jbuff.com, Dr. Falk remarked: "[Tel Aviv] is the New York of Israel in that it is the commercial and financial center of the country."

           

Many American teens have no idea that Israelis, with the exception of Israeli Arabs and Orthodox Jews, dress just as we do in America. Israeli and American teens share other things in common: They troll Facebook and Skype with their friends at all hours while technically they are supposed to be doing their homework.

While teens in both the U.S. and Israel love to shop, their method of payment differs—beyond just choosing cash or credit cards. In the states, customers assume they will pay the price that is marked on a product. But in Israel, "people bargain for prices," according to Noga Evan and fellow Dallas seventh grader Ofir Edri.

Almost everyone has seen a map of Israel and knows what a tiny country it is. But consider how that affects the social life of Israeli teenagers. Since the entire country is about the size of New Jersey, people commonly run into people they know in the street all the time. People walk and ride bikes everywhere, rather than drive, which contributes to the feeling of closeness.

For better or worse, American pop culture and music have found their way into Israeli society. So, it would make sense that famous artists Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, One Direction, Adele, LMAFO, and Psy have been popular among Israelis. Tal Arkin, who lives in Savyon, a city outside of Tel Aviv, and attends summer camp in the U.S., said, "American pop culture [has] an enormous influence on Israeli pop culture. There are a few Israeli artists popular among teens here, but most trends are American."

Located in Tel Aviv, Israel's National Sports Center and the Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center contribute in giving the city a 21^st-century feeling. Israel has the highest number of museums per capita of any country and three of its largest museums are located in Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv holds the headquarters of Israel's largest newspapers, as well. And like any big city, Tel Aviv's nightlife, of course, includes nightclubs, dancing, and bars.

Besides music, American shops and restaurants such as Burger King and McDonalds (both kosher, of course), Nike, Abercrombie, Forever 21, and American Eagle, can also be found in Israel. But don't lose hope, Israel is home to many of its own bookstores, cafes, restaurants, and shops with their own distinct atmosphere.

But in a significant way, the lives of teens and in Israel diverge. Israel teens contend with the constant fear of attack. How did the recent missiles attacks affect the lives of teenagers?

 "[It] is an unavoidable topic at school and in Facebook circles. I have friends that live within missile range and in recent days, they [were] forced to get to their shelters within 20 seconds of the sound of a siren," said Tal Arkin.

 

It is no doubt hard for Israeli teens to cope with their own emotional and physical changes while simultaneously fearing for their lives. Even during relative periods of calm, there are constant reminders of the country’s fragility and their own.

“I don’t think the United States has this," Tal said, "but in Israel, every house is required to have at least one 'safe room,' or shelter. A shelter is a room in the house that has a stronger foundation than the rest of the rooms. It is also air-tight, to prevent gas bombs from affecting those in the room."

So it is even more remarkable that Israel and Tel Aviv has created such a bounty of modern riches.

             

Diary of a Gap Year: Chapter Two

By Tova Kline

Well Israel lately has been pretty awesome.. minus one little problem my roommates and I have. This little problem is worse than anything you could ever imagine, that being bed bugs. I never thought anything could itch so much in my entire life. Bites everywhere on your body and a lot of moving out of your own room. Lucky for my room--the 6th room to have bed bugs--our program took care of us, paid for our laundry, and all around made sure we were OK.

Also lucky for us, we no longer have bed bugs (Yay, fumigation).

Idan Raichel

On a much better note, Israeli music is some of the best out there. Earlier this month, a few friends and I went to an Idan Raichel concert. Somehow we ended up getting to be in the front row, and it was an experience to say the least. Most of the attendees were, to my surprise, American girls. If you have never heard anything by The Idan Raichel Project, I suggest trying them out. It's much different from American pop music, but American pop doesn't touch the soul like a sitar or Idan's incredible voice can.

While at the concert and honestly just around Israel in general, I have run into so many friends of mine who are also here on gap year programs or in seminaries. However, the best experience I have had with this was at the concert running into a friend of mine who I haven't seen since I was in 7th grade.

While I'm in Jerusalem, I've been volunteering with the Lone Soldier Center, or in Hebrew, מרכז החייל בודדים. It's incredible working at the center, because it shows how much pride Jew's take in their state. A lone soldier is defined as a soldier who is in Israel and does not have any immediate family residing there.
At the Lone Soldier Center, I have had the joy of meeting men and women from all over the world including the USA, Canada, the UK, Finland, Morocco, Mexico, Ethiopia, Germany, South Africa, Australia and Russia. Lately, due to Operation Pillar of Defense we haven't seen many around because they have all been on base. However, due to the friendships I had made on previous excursions to Gaza, I always knew what was happening due to the soldiers who would call or Facebook me from base to make sure I was alright.
It's an ironic that the friends I should have been the most worried about, who were posting pictures of themselves writing messages on their grenades, sending me pictures of where a rocket hit their base, or calling me from their bomb shelter after a rocket hit their base, were most worried about me.

On a little bit of a more serious note regarding safety in Israel, everything is actually very safe. During the operation, Israel set up extra border security and would not allow under most circumstances civilians to go into areas that were less than 40 km from Gaza. Once rockets started hitting Tel Aviv areas, my program put a travel restriction there.

Only twice did rockets land in Jerusalem—once on Shabbat and another on a Wednesday afternoon—and I had the experience of hearing it explode.

Other than a few times when I heard sirens, life just went on as normal. That is how Israel works. You just keep living your life as you were before the attack. The reason Israel is so safe is because you can't go into many major civilian areas such as a mall or university without going through a metal detector first.

Funny story, though, about that Jerusalem Shabbat rocket...

It was my first experience with rockets and, well, really rocket sirens. I knew the procedure beforehand. The procedure starts out, as told by our Israeli Madrich Roni: "You have 90 seconds to get to a bomb shelter, I repeat 90 seconds. That's 1 minute and 30 seconds to run, no not run because someone will die, briskly walk down to the 3rd floor and hang out there for about 15 minutes. If you forget all of this, just watch what everyone else is doing and do that."

With that said, I knew what I had to do in the event of a siren. So, it's Shabbat and my friends and I decided
not to go to synagogue that night as we were all sitting by our phones waiting for calls from our friends on base. We hear a siren and, to my friends’ surprise, I just casually walk down the stairs. When I finally reached the bomb shelter, within the 90-second time frame, they asked me why I had been so calm. My response: "Guy's, it's only a tornado. There is nothing to be afraid of."

The siren sounded so much like a tornado siren, I had forgotten I was in Israel and that it was a rocket siren. Oops.

Thankfully for Thanksgiving this year, there was so much to be thankful for. Operation Pillar of Defense had ended, all of our friends were coming back from base, and we had a Thanksgiving feast here in Jerusalem with our program. There is a tradition within our program that all alumni who are living in Israel are welcome to join us for the evening activities. All in all, we had about 175 people including the 78 kids from my program. I saw friends from past years of Nativ and found out I'm friends with children of Nativ Alumni. During the meal, I was given an envelope with a note from my parents and another note from my sister.
Our director, Yossi said, "It's the one time of the year we can collectively make all the girls cry at once." He was right.

I'm still having an incredible time in Israel, I just wish time wasn't moving so fast. Hopefully, to the teens reading this blog, you seriously consider coming to Israel on a gap-year program, because it was the best decision I ever made. If you ever have questions, you can always contact me. And with that, I bid you a good day.

Dallas Teen Fights for Israel

By Rachel Carp

For American teens about to turn 18, life is a hectic, exciting and often stressful time, filled with college applications, prom plans and decisions about what careers to eventually pursue.

Israeli teens on the cusp of 18, in contrast, must place their futures on hold in order to protect their country.

After high school graduation, Israelis are required to provide military service for the Israeli Defense Force. Men are obligated to serve in the IDF for three years and women for 21 months. After serving, Israelis remain a part of the reserve service, which requires men to contribute about a month of service a year until the age of 43-45. The IDF also calls up reserves for active duty during times of crisis.

Sometimes the call of duty in Israel is heard half-way around the world. Daniel Oved, a senior attending Greenhill School in Dallas, Texas, plans to join the IDF this summer, after graduation. Daniel feels a strong connection to Israel. He grandparents fled there from Iraq shortly after Israel became a nation in 1948. His parents were both born in Israel and most of his family lives there today. Daniel’s parents moved to the U.S. before his birth. “I do not have Israeli citizenship,” he says. “But ethnically I am Israeli.”

Daniel Oved, a  Greenhill senior, will follow in the footsteps of his father, Jacov 

While most of his peers will leave for college in 2013, Daniel chose to enlist in the IDF because of his loyalty to Israel. “I owe my life and my family's lives to Israel. Most of my family has fought to protect it, and now, I feel like I have to go and do my part to keep the country alive,” he explains. “It is in a constant state of fear, always prepared for the worst, and simply needs more people to help protect it.”

The IDF, which was formed after Israel achieved statehood, is vital to the survival of Israel and consists of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. While the majority of the IDF is Jewish, the IDF conscripts all citizens living in Israel regardless of religion. However, only 50% of the conscripts serve in the military. Certain citizens and religious groups are exempt from service. Although controversial, the ultra- Orthodox Jews, known as Haredim, are not forced to serve in the Israeli Army. Under the Tal Law, these citizens can delay their service as long as they are studying at Yeshiva. Additionally, the Religious Zionist group in Israel, while still obliged to serve, serves in a different sector of the IDF called Hesder, which is a mix of Talmudic study and military service. Arabs living in Israel, married women and residents who have mental or physical disabilities are all excused from military service but may volunteer to serve.

Tzav Rishon, the military draft process, consists of medical and intelligence examinations, physical profiles, and one on one interviews, and works hard to find the best fit for each Israeli in the IDF. There are many different service options available for citizens of Israel, including combat and non- combat positions. A large portion of the IDF service is actually off the battlefield. While Non-combat jobs are often viewed as less important, they are necessary for the success of the Israeli army. Men and women can use their degrees to join non- combat alternatives such as foreign relations, army spokespersons, administration, budget and finance, security guards, police, intelligence and gathering.

Unique to the Israeli army, women have had equal rights to men since 2000. Involved in combat units since 1994, Israeli women fight in the artillery corps, infantry units, armored divisions, and air force. Women are also involved in combat support options working as instructors, officers, and trainers. 

A program called Mahal allows Jewish noncitizens like Daniel Oved to enlist between the ages 18 to 23. While Daniel “used to be afraid of missing out on the American college experience,” college is in his future. “Since I’m in Israel for 16 months and one can only defer from school for a year, I will have to wait until I’m in Israel to apply. Therefore, by the time I enter my freshman year of college, my fellow seniors will be going into their junior years.”

Beyond duty, Daniel expects that he will “become more disciplined and mature” from serving in the IDF. “I hope the experience humbles me as well as pops the bubble I currently live under.” Daniel observed positive changes in his family members who joined the IDF. “Those that went [to the IDF] are better and more proactive people. The army does that to a person,” he says.

Because of the mandatory draft, most of Daniel’s family served in the IDF. “My dad was an officer, so he did a lot of fighting in his days. He fought in the Yom Kippur war. My grandfather was a spy for a couple years while Israel was being created. He was Iraqi, so he pretended to be a Muslim and helped smuggle Jews across the borders and into Israel.” Within the IDF, Daniel hopes to obtain a combat position. His father served in an artillery unit operating the radios, and Daniel aspires to join this unit as well.

Jacov Oved

The enlisting process will not begin until 2 months after Daniel arrives in Israel. He will fly to Israel in August and start basic training next October.

Choosing to enlist in the IDF forced Daniel to confront his mortality. “If there is one thing I'd be most willing to die for, it would be [Israel]. I'm no brave hero or anything, but I owe my life, as amazing as it is, to Israel's existence. Everyone’s willing to die for something they love and I truly love Israel.”

Daniel’s biggest hope is for Israel to live in peace. “If risking my life is necessary so that others don’t have to fight anymore, I am more than willing to do it.”